


Raggedy Man

by mushigo_palm_spores



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, Brooding, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Tagged as femslash because does valeyard x tardis count as a ship?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:14:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 12,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25749487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mushigo_palm_spores/pseuds/mushigo_palm_spores
Summary: This used to be a series of drabbles exploring the Valeyard's relationship with her TARDIS, but then it went out of control and turned into a fullblown fic so, enjoy. Written for the @dwmasters big bang mini event (on tumblr) for the prompt 'loyalty'
Comments: 6
Kudos: 11





	1. A Blank Sheet

**Author's Note:**

> I'm just gonna briefly confess that I'm not much of a writer and I've never really written anything of much use. But hey, this is a thing I'm now doing apparently

The TARDIS was just a white pillar. Gone was the familiar police box, the wooden doors that had embraced the doctor after every adventure, always promising safety and sanctuary no matter how much the world around them burned. The doctor smiled, despite the searing pain in her leg. The TARDIS had sensed a change in her, and adapted accordingly. No matter how bad things got, no matter how much the doctor changed, the TARDIS would always stand by her side. Even now, her loyalty was absolute. Even now, she would simply adapt a little, to suit the new situation.

She crawled toward her ship, her clothes snagging on the dirt, tearing, smeared with dust. She didn’t care. As soon as she was inside her ship, she’d change them.

The door of the pillar swivelled open and slowly, painfully, the doctor crawled inside. The interior was white. The walls were blank, flat. The TARDIS had not even added the default circular motif. The only feature in the room was a mere suggestion of the central column. A blank sheet. Waiting for this new doctor to draw on it. _The Doctor_ the Valeyard smiled cynically. _Times are changing. I guess I’d better change to suit them too._


	2. Kneel

The Certhean Sancturary was a church so big, it encompassed an entire planet. It was made up of thousands of chapels, holy burial sites, spaces for meditation and reflection, daises for holding speeches and archives of books and relics, all stacked on top of each other in buildings more than a thousand stories high. At the centre of it all stood the church proper, a huge round building that hosted sermons lasting for hours, sometimes even days. It was the ultimate site of pilgrimage, worship and tourism.

And someone had burned it down to the ground. The Master nudged a charred corpse that instantly disintegrated under his foot. Fragments of stained glass lay around him, some as large as a man. They reflected the light that fell through the molten, twisted archways at odd angles, illuminating the dust floating around him. His protective suit felt clumsy and heavy and in his ears was the steady sound of his own breathing. Otherwise the silence was absolute.

_Reminds me of home._ The Master couldn’t help but briefly grin through his mask. For a moment, just a moment, he considered taking it off, and letting the sun, now brilliant and deadly through the thin, failing atmosphere, burn down onto his face. How long would it take? How long would the pain last before he was just a pile of ash? Would it feel every bit as agonising as regeneration?

The cyberium gave him an impatient nudge. _Can you just give me a moment?_ He hissed. Then, grumbling and sulking away to himself and making sure the cyberium heard every bit of it, he opened the door to the church proper. And there, clad in white like an angel of death, stood the doctor.

Headless of the deadly sun, she stood unprotected, ignoring the way it was causing the skin to melt off her flesh. A monstrous sight framed by death, destruction and rubble. She looked like a queen surveying her kingdom. Slowly she turned to face the now cowering form of the Master.

**_kneel_ **

Her voice boomed around the remains of a structure built to amplify every sound a thousand times. It seemed as if every metal shard, every piece of broken glass ground together in her voice, sharp and unnatural.

**_KNEEL_ **

The Master turned and fled.


	3. Raggedy Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the Valeyard broods over her wounds from the Cearthan Sanctury

_To be the Valeyard is to believe oneself superior to everything and to stand alone accordingly. She is the very definition of hatred, bitterness and anger. No love, no compassion, only a firm conviction that she was made to rule the universe. Or burn it._

The Valeyard grimaced painfully at the warped reflection of her burned up face in the large cylindrical mirror that was the new central column. The TARDIS had been redecorating recently, adding a lot of mirrors and she wondered if one day everything: walls, console, floor and ceiling would be one great mirror.

_To be the Valeyard is to sever all connections_.

Beneath her, the TARDIS buzzed and hummed contentedly. These last few weeks, the Valeyard had killed, burned, intimidated, ruled. But nothing could change the mutual feeling of warmth she and her ship shared when she was home. Whatever she did, her ship never judged or interfered, only observed and accepted.

The Valeyard ran a mental finger down the tie that connected her to her TARDIS. It was not an elegant thing, made from several different types of thread that twisted and weaved among each other, all discordant and different sizes. At some points the tie had been broken and repaired, sometimes cleanly and skilfully, other times crudely with with a simple knot. But the thing held.

She felt a warm acknowledgement from her ship, reaching up to her from the other side. _How do you think of me_ , she asked it, _do you think of me as the Valeyard or the Doctor?_

The answer came like a warm breeze, a blanket wrapped around her heart.

A raggedy man emerged from a trance like state, back into the console room of the TARDIS. Her ship stood silent. The universe stood silent. Watching, waiting. Slowly the raggedy man began to repair her wounds, sliding skin back into place and fixing it there with little bursts of regeneration energy. Then she straightened up, addressing her TARDIS: “So, where would you like to go next?”


	4. Delta Major

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Doctor discovers the Valeyard's trail

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to mention that I don't have a beta so if anybody has any comments, please go ahead

When the Doctor finally escaped the Judoon prison, she made a vow: That no planet would suffer Gallifrey’s fate ever again. For months she worked tirelessly, much to the TARDIS’ concern, scanning the universe, looking for any sign that the Master had escaped, any event that bore his signature. All other information filtered past her, ignored.

Then, one day, the Doctor looked up, exhausted, only to find that all her work had been for naught: someone had already done the Master’s work for him.

For a moment, it was all she could do but to stare at the scanner in horror and disbelief. The trail of destruction was immense. Whole galaxies had been burned to ash, the number of deaths beyond counting. Then, The Doctor kicked in.

“Right, don’t panic, not the end of the world. Well, it is the end of the world. But it doesn’t have to be. A trail of destruction like this is like a trail of breadcrumbs. If we’re lucky, and I’m very clever, which I am, we can use it to lead us to whoever is responsible.”

The Doctor bounced over to the scanner and began typing frantically. “If I enter all the coordinates of planets destroyed so far, the TARDIS can use probability calculations to predict which planet will be next, which in this case is……. Delta Major. Love Delta Major, best visited in the summer. So much more interesting than Delta Minor. I think they’ve got seas made of chocolate. Come on Fam-”

This last remark was aimed at the empty room, at which point the Doctor realised that she’d been talking to herself again and, somewhat shamefaced, put on her coat and left the TARDIS without uttering another word.

She emerged into a large, cathedral-like structure, built, as all buildings on Delta Major were built, from salt stone bricks. They absorbed most of the water from the atmosphere, lowering the humidity to a point that would be almost uncomfortable to a human being. The Deltorians believed that one day, the gods would drown the entire planet in salt, absorbing all the water and killing everything on the planet. To avert this, they raised structures from the salt, worshipped it and ate large amounts of it in their food, to show the gods that they were not afraid of this fate and could not be intimidated by it.

_Right, down to business_ , the Doctor thought to herself. _Let’s find someone in authority, evacuate the entire planet, find out who is responsible for all this, and be back in time for tea._

As if prompted by her thoughts, a deltorian guard appeared in the doorway of the catherdral.

“Ah”. The Doctor advanced upon him, doing her best to seem friendly and inoffensive. The guard remained motionless. Upon closer inspection, The Doctor realised that she was in fact a woman. She faltered slightly. “Hello?”

Suddenly four strong hands grabbed her from behind and forced her on her knees. She attempted to wriggle free from their grasp, frustrated that she could not see her captors, however they were unyielding. _Deltorians,_ she thought to herself angrily, _amongst other things notorious for their strength._

The guard finished the last couple of steps that would have closed the gap between herself and the Doctor and slowly crouched so she was at eye level with her. Then, she took off her helmet.

There, leering down on her sardonically was a woman who shared the Doctor’s face. The Doctor attempted to struggle once again, but the Valeyard only gave an amused little snort. Then a cloth was forced against the Doctor’s face. It stank of something sweet and overpowering and the Doctor could neither breathe nor see. For a brief second, she was overcome with claustrophobia, then she passed out.


	5. You are the Doctor?

_ You are the Doctor? The Doctor isn’t real. The Valeyard isn’t real. The Master isn’t real. They’re just masks we wear. Masks to help the audience understand who is who when we stand upon the stage. Strip away those titles and what are we? _


	6. Allow me to break this down for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is no longer a series of drabbles. This is now a fullblown fic with a beginning, a middle and an end (hell yeah). Also credit to my beta, ellbie (linz33y.tumblr.com). However comments are still 100% welcome

The Doctor was dreaming. It was very vague, just mere flashes of images with crude, nonsensical ideas hanging onto them. She was trying to read something but couldn’t focus on the words. Something tight was pressed against her wrists and ankles. Then the images began to fade and she became aware of the bonds strapping her down, vibrations moving up the restraints and buzzing through her wrists and ankles. There was a hard, uncomfortable mattress beneath her. 

Where a human would now be experiencing grogginess, headaches and an inability to focus, the Doctor instantly snapped back into awareness, her time lord body having revived itself in the space of seconds.She blinked and turned her head slowly to her left, noticing a little bedside table with a glass of water placed on top. The oscillations of its contents indicated that whatever engine was humming beneath her, it was a powerful one. 

From her prone position, there was only so and so much the Doctor could see: She was in a hospital bed and the technology around her was alien and very advanced. About 7000/.565/391 PZ (Post Zargloi) if the Doctor wasn’t mistaken. As far as she could tell, she was the only occupant in the room. She must be on a spaceship, and a pretty large one at that. A migrant vessel? A refugee transport ship? A space station? If there had been a window, she could have perhaps had a better look. Come to think of it, where was the door?

As if to answer her question, a section of the wall came away and the Valeyard entered, clad all in white. Her robes were gallifreyan-esque, but much lighter and more comfortable looking. A belt tied it together at the waist and a silver circlet sat upon her head. She moved in a very regal manner.

“Nice outfit”, the Doctor quipped, trying to sound chipper and carefree, “I like the diverse colour palette”. She waited for a response but received none. “ So, you’ve got me. What do you plan to do to me now?”

The Valeyard smirked, placing her hand on the Doctor’s shoulder. “Let’s not talk about you. You’re boring. No, let’s talk about your favourite species, the humans. And let’s talk about all the things I’m going to do to them once I rule the universe.”

“No, because I’m gonna stop you”

Her tormentor offered only a sardonic snort, sparking a rush of anger in the Doctor.

“What?”, she demanded, her voice containing all the venom she could muster.

“Like you stopped me on Delta Major? I knew you were coming, I laid a trail of breadcrumbs for you to follow. And you walked right into my little trap like an innocent lamb led to the slaughter. I made a deal with the Deltians: Give me the Doctor and I’ll spare their planet….. Then I burned it down anyway”. The Valeyard’s eyes glazed over. “All those men, women and children.….it felt so good to destroy them. Centuries of history fed to the flames. You know, after I turn a planet to ash, I always like to take a little walk on it. Just to feel the dust beneath my feet and watch the flames dancing around me. I even met the Master once. I think he enjoys these things as much as I do.”

“So that’s what you are now? The new Master? Congratulations, you’ve betrayed every vow you’ve ever taken.”

The Valeyard shrugged. “Titles are such tedious things. We could spend all day and night discussing them. But, unfortunately, I don’t have that much time. I have an empire to run.”

She reached behind the Doctor and brought out a syringe and a little vial containing a sluggish dark green liquid, then leant down, as if indulging some great secret as she told the Doctor: “This one’s fun, you can see it diffusing into the body right underneath the skin.”

The Doctor was starting to get a bit nervous. “What is that? What are you going to do to me?”

The Valeyard only reached down and brushed a lock of hair out of her face.

“Allow me to break this down for you: I want to rule the universe. I want to make Earth the seat from which I rule the universe. To do so, I must first fly my fleet down to Earth and conquer it. Flying to Earth requires energy. Conquering the universe requires energy. Ruling the universe requires energy. We are the timeless child. We have endless amounts of regeneration energy trapped inside our bodies, just waiting to be released. So here’s what I’m going to do to you: I’m going to keep you imprisoned for all eternity, and I’m going to kill you over and over again, then I’m going to tap off the regeneration energy and use it. As to whether I’m going to let you regain consciousness from time to time, or keep you as some kind of comatose battery, I haven’t decided yet. I might let you sleep for a couple of centuries or so and then wake you to observe what exactly I have done to your treasured universe while you were gone.”

The Valeyard began to pull some of the liquid up into the syringe

“Wait”, the Doctor insisted, panic beginning to rise in her voice, “you’re me. If you do this, you’ll never have existed. The paradox will tear the universe apart”

“Oh no, I’m a goddess now. The universe will tear only when I command it to.”

_She’s insane_. Finally the word, and it’s full meaning and implications hit the Doctor. Slowly, the Valeyard began to lower the needle toward her neck. _Ok, there is only time for one last gambit._

“I’m the Doctor. I have lived for centuries, saved the universe a thousand times. Daleks fear me. Cybermen fear me. Time Lords fear me. Countless times have I stopped them, and countless times they have tried to kill me. But I have won, every single time. Do you really think I won’t beat you too?”

Then the syringe pierced her skin. Fire and pain instantly shot through her body. She could feel her muscles beginning to spasm, could feel her bonds breaking as her arms and legs began to spread themselves out into position: ready for the burst of energy that would bring about her regeneration. Then she passed out.


	7. Time to run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor makes her bold and daring escape

The Doctor reemerged, shivering and gasping for breath. She felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head. 

Bewildered, freezing and miserable, she probed into her body. There were no residues of energy and none of the chemical imbalance that usually occurred after regeneration. The cells that had moments before been preparing to burst into flame, had shut down again. It was that sudden shock that had left her feeling so cold.

She sat up and looked around to find herself still in the same room. At the sides of the bed her broken bonds hung limply and there were little scorch marks on the mattress. Then she looked down at her body. There were cables sticking out of it. That couldn’t be right, surely? Starting to panic, the Doctor began to grope around in her clothing, but in her haste could not find where they connected to her skin. In the end, she simply followed them to the machine they led to, an Aithusian energy converter, and disconnected them. Alarms went off instantly.

_Oops, time to go_ , the Doctor thought to herself, bundling the cables into her hands and preparing to make a run for it. The first couple of steps were extremely wobbly, and when she got to the section of the wall from which the Valeyard had entered, she was already exhausted. _Now, we need to find a way of opening the door before someone comes. If I had my sonic…._ The Doctor gave a frustrated groan. _Right, don’t panic, we’ll just have to use more traditional methods._

Impatiently, she bundled the tangled mess of wires into one hand. Then, willing herself not to collapse against the wall, she ran her free palm across it, looking for a seam or crack. There wasn’t one. _Come on, think Doctor, think_ . She gave herself a mental slap. _Don’t give up. We just need to find some way to hotwire-_

The Doctor glanced at the cables in her hand.

If this door was Aithusan like the converter, there should be a little energy panel, no larger than one square centimeter, hidden by the side… _A-hah! There._ If she stuck both her cables in there, it would result in a short circuit, the shock of which would break the door and hopefully revive her body a little. Either that or kill her.

Mentally crossing her fingers, the Doctor slowly lowered the ends of the wires into the panel. The shock, that would most certainly have killed a human being, threw her backwards and she just about managed to stop herself from slamming against the bed frame (nevertheless the breath was knocked out of her). When she got up, the door was not only open but partially melted, her hair felt frizzy and light and her hands and face were covered in soot. But she was buzzing with electricity, her cells particularly receptive from the aborted regeneration. The cables fell away from her body, scorched, and she was the Doctor once again. A second, louder alarm joined the first. The Doctor grinned. _Time to run_

******

Having made her escape, avoided the Valeyard’s men and found a quiet, deserted space on the ship, the Doctor finally had time to properly assess her medical situation. She was still in the same body ( _Thank god_ ), and it looked like her regeneration really had just stopped. Upon probing further, she finally found the cause: the Valeyard’s poison was still inside her, but her body had engineered an improvised pocket and stored it inside. It would not hold forever, and she’d have to find a medical bay soon and purge the poison out of herself before it escaped, or the same fate would meet her again, only somewhat delayed. But for now, her body had given her another chance.

_Right Doctor_ , she thought to herself, _big ship, lots to explore. Where shall we go first?_

Then she caught sight of a large, red, DO NOT ENTER sign.

_Brilliant._

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	8. Cloister bell

The Doctor has often told her companions not to wander off. So often, she’d lost count. Yet that was what she now did: slowly wandering around, vaguely following the ‘stop’, and ‘do not enter’ signs. At some point she’d left the alarms behind and was now engulfed by the vast silence of the ship’s hull. Whilst deserted, the place was not derelict. Clearly someone did come down from time to time, and the Doctor really hoped she would not bump into them on her way. The walls were a claustrophobic dark green and the lighting was a cold blue. The place was like a prison.

Then, another sound overlaid the silence. A steady humm, feint, but there. It couldn’t be...yes it was. The Doctor grinned and burst into a run. _Baby, I’m coming….hang on_ , she flung the thought at her TARDIS. 

Finally she came to a heavy, metal door. It had no locks, no guards, clearly the Valeyard hadn’t expected visitors down here. _Well, guess again_ , the Doctor thought with deep satisfaction as she heaved the door open. Then her heart sank. Behind the door was not the familiar blue box but a white cylinder. The chameleon circuit was working again. For this was the Valeyard’s TARDIS, not hers. Dimly, the cloister bell was tolling, had been for some time now.

At the sight of her, the TARDIS instantly reached out in a warm, loving embrace, whispering contented greetings. _Ok, baby_ , the Doctor tried to placate her, somewhat overwhelmed by the warm reception. 

Somewhat hesitantly, she opened the door and was greeted by a sparsely furnished console room. The thing still had an unfinished look, but what was already there had been tastefully and artfully placed. On the walls, a triangular motif was forming. 

And the entire room was filled with love.

The TARDIS was basking in it. Everywhere, the Valeyard had been making new connections with her ship and renewing old ones. They were so strong, almost tangible, strung across the room like chaotic bunting. The force of the emotion caused the Doctor’s heart to swell and tears began to prick her eyes. So much love, infinite reserves of it.

But something was not quite right. The TARDIS was too placid, too happy. The cloister bell continued its ominous drone as the Doctor put her hand on the console. Beneath her, the ship was starting to fall asleep again. Her behaviour worried the Doctor deeply, the TARDIS had reacted like an exhausted puppy that nevertheless attempted to lift its head and wag its tail at the sight of its master coming home. Superficially, she found only love and affection, (affection that was shared between her and the Valeyard equally, she noted with mild jealousy). However, as she probed deeper, she found that the TARDIS had not flown for months, that she’d just lain dormant as the Valeyard had had her transported from place to place, staying by her side and holding her hand all the while…..The cold realisation seeped into the Doctor, drowning out everything else and sitting inside her body like heavy tar. The TARDIS was ill.

Here lay the explanation for the Valeyard’s behaviour. What would the Doctor not have done to save her ship? She would have burned down the entire universe to find a cure if she had to. And this was what the Valeyard had done. She’d burned and burned and when no solution had been forthcoming, she’d continued to burn. Because it had felt right. Because why should the universe live when her TARDIS was dying? Why should she spare the world that couldn’t even yield her a simple cure? Motivated with anger and grief, she had burned and burned and burned. But in the end, what had it helped? What had it brought her? Nothing. Nothing but an empire of ash, soot and dust.

Heart thumping, shaking with fear, worry, dismay and grief, the Doctor reached out again to her beloved ship. _How long have you got?_

_One year, four months_

Finally her composure broke. _Come her my baby, my love, my dear,_ the Doctor embraced her dying child, tears finally escaping and rolling down her face, _I’ve got you now, it’s going to be alright, I’ve got you. I’m going to find you a cure…_ the Doctor telepathically took hold of the TARDIS’ face, turning it up to look her in the eyes. _..I’m going to find you a cure and bring you back home, I promise._

She opened up the TARDIS scanner, synchronizing it with the ship’s own timeline data banks until she found her own familiar blue box. _Same software, different casing_ , the Doctor thought to herself as she worked. If she connected this version of the ship to that one, she might be able to tow it away to safety. However the Valeyard’s TARDIS was ill and fragile. Would she survive the exposure to the vortex and outer space? No, there was nothing for it. It would cause some nasty paradoxes but there was no other way. She would have to transport the Valeyard’s version of the TARDIS inside her own.

The Doctor began to manually type several calculations into the computer. So engrossed was she with her task that she didn’t notice the door open behind her.

“ _ **NOOOO**_ ”

The Valeyard’s shriek was filled with all the desperation and primal fury of a mother about to lose her child. Hands and claws, she lunged toward the Doctor, who caught her by the wrists and held her, stoic and unmoving as a statue whilst her future self tore and snarled and kicked. 

“ _you shall not take her away from me, you shan’t_ ”

“I’m sorry”, the Doctor’s voice was calm, unmoving, merciless, “but I have to take her away and save her. Save you both”

Then she let go of the Valeyard and knocked her out.


	9. Tea?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> JACK'S BACK!!!!!!

Captain Jack Harkness was lounging around in a luxurious Tokyo flat, listening to old 60s classics on the radio. The English secret service had sent him to investigate a series of murders committed by sentient showers, targeting MI6 agents specifically. Right now he was living the James Bond life, and was determined to savour every last second of it. 

The intercom beside him buzzed.

“ _ Mr Captain Jack Harkness, there’s a lady in the foyer here to see you _ ”, the electronic voice of the secretary announced. 

Jack grinned to himself.  _ The Bond life indeed _ . Then, to the secretary “Sure, bring her up”. Leaning a little closer to the speaker he added in a flirtatious tone “and some champagne for two please.”

“ _ Right away Sir. _ ”

“What’s her name?”

“ _ The Doctor. _ ”

Jack took a minute to process the words. Then he jumped up from his couch and lept over to the radio to switch it off. As if sensing his excitement, the secretary added, “ _ Will you still be needing the champagne, Sir? _ ”

“Yes please, bring it right up.” And he all but ran to the door.

*******

The Doctor was in a rugged state, clothes covered in soot and dirt and grime. Her hair was uncombed and all over the place and she looked both exhausted and out of breath. Jack wondered how she’d been allowed into the building. But then again, the psychic paper did miracles he supposed. Wordlessly he ushered her in and immediately offered her a seat, which she took gladly.

“Good to see you again Doctor, what can I do for you?”

“Hi”, she gasped, still out of breath, “you know how you still owe me a favour from when I got us both out of the Judoon prison”

Despite his companion’s wearied state, there was still space for banter. “ _ No _ ,” he corrected her, “ _ you _ still owe  _ me _ a favour when _ I _ got us out.”

“Did not.”

“Did.”

“No you didn't.”

“Oh yeah, I most certainly did.”

They stared at each other for a split second until Jack’s signature grin broke across his face. Throwing his arms out, he beckoned her into an enthusiastic bear hug, an offer she accepted gladly. And with that, they settled back into the age old companionship that had carried them both through the centuries.

“Tea?” he offered.


	10. Password

The Valeyard was in a frightful state. Shackled inside a TARDIS cell, she did nothing all day but scream and scream, even though her voice was hoarse and cracked. Her clothing was soiled with filth and she was little more than skin and bone. To see a woman who shared the Doctor’s face in such wretched torment was both macabre and terrifying, and yet Jack couldn’t look away.

“Do you think she can be reasoned with?”, he asked.

“I don’t know, but I have to try. It can’t go on like this”

He and the Doctor were standing on a platform, looking into the cell through a narrow window. 

“If it looks like she’s going to make a run for it, close the cell door. Don’t try to rescue me.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Thanks, Jack.”

At this, Jack crossed his arms and turned to her in a manner of mock surprise. “Oh, this is new, I don’t think you’ve thanked me ever before. You know, I’m beginning to quite like this new incarnation of yours. Can I start expecting this from your future selves as well now?”

The Doctor smiled weakly and nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.” Then she turned and descended from the platform, hesitated, and entered the cell.

When her captor entered, The Valeyard stopped screaming and snarled. The Doctor stopped a couple of feet away from her, out of arm’s reach

“Shhh, it’s ok.” She attempted to soothe her, holding up both arms to show her she was unarmed. “I’ve got a friend here to help me. Your TARDIS is ok, for now. We’ve put her in the sickbay and we’re currently scanning her, to see what caused the disease. But I’m not going to be able to cure her on my own any more than you could.” The Doctor stared intently at the Valeyard. “ We have no choice but we’re going to have to work together.”

The prisoner was at the very least listening, if not reacting. The Doctor took a deep breath and plowed on.

“I’ve got food outside, and this pill will help you recover your voice”. Gently she reached down and pushed the pill between the Valeyard’s lips, who spat it back out instantly, venomously. 

A rush of anger darted through the Doctor, however she instantly suppressed it, forcing herself to remain calm. If words could not reach this woman, perhaps telepathy could. Steeling herself, she dove down, into her prisoner, brushing aside layers and layers of insanity, filth and self pity. It was difficult to grab hold of the Valeyard, swimming around in this sea of puss that she had been steadily cultivating over the last few years. She was slippery, and several times the filth bore her just out of reach of the Doctor’s grasp. But eventually she managed to grab hold of her. “Your TARDIS is dying. She needs you. We don’t have time for this. So either you pull yourself together and let me help you climb out of this disgusting cesspit, or I’ll knock you over the head with a sledgehammer and drag you out.”

The Doctor had expected any kind of reply. Compliance, resistance, confusion, fear. However she absolutely had not expected was a question: 

“What’s the password?”

In her bafflement, she almost let go of her nemesis.

“I once asked the TARDIS, my version of the TARDIS, how she thought of me: Valeyard or Doctor. Do you know what she said?”

The Doctor shook her head slightly, confused. The Valeyard leaned in closely and whispered the answer into her ear.

“Raggedy man.”

For a moment, the Doctor was sitting in a warm kitchen with Amelia Pond. Around them the world smelled of fish fingers and custard cream. It was a memory she’d almost forgotten, blasted out of her head by at least two regenerations. Everything felt peaceful and safe, like the soft warmth of a mother’s womb. Then she opened her eyes again and was back in the cell, she and the Valeyard locked in a tight embrace. 

“Thank you for the memory,” she whispered into the Valeyard’s ear.

Two raggedy men disentangled and got up, ready to go save their TARDIS.


	11. The medical order of Seta Knox

“The medical order of Seta Knox,” Jack announced as he entered the TARDIS library. The Valeyard and the Doctor were poring over an ever growing pile of books on TARDIS maintenance, healthcare and lists of known ailments. Around them lay a chaotic nest of scraps of paper, notes and calculations. The Doctor had taken a piece of chalk to the floorboards and had been sketching something out whilst explaining it to the Valeyard. 5D quantum physics by the looks of it. Now both women were looking up at him.

“The medical order of Seta Knox say they have had some TARDIS patients. They also say they know of a company of dimensional engineers and that they have collaborated with them in the past.”

“What about the Sisters of Plenitude?” The Doctor asked, “They’ve also had experience with TARDISes and they’re much more reputable.”

“Yes, but their waiting list is over a century long.”

“How much do Seta Knox want for their services?”

“Seventeen billion galactic dollars,” Jack hesitated. “And a vial of regeneration energy.”

The Doctor and the Valeyard exchanged glances and both nodded. “Whatever it takes.”

“But Doctor,” Jack protested, “regeneration energy can be used in all kinds of scams and swindles. And when they said vial, they mean a big one. To get hold of that much regeneration energy you might have to kill yourself”

The Doctor shrugged. “Well, it’s not like that sort of thing matters anymore.” Then, looking up at Jack she repeated, “Whatever it takes.”

“Set the TARDIS coordinates for Seta Knox,” She told the Valeyard, “I’ll gather together all the notes we’ve taken and then I’ll go to your version of the TARDIS and explain to her what we’re doing. Jack, I’m going to need your help disconnecting her from the medical bay. Then we’re gonna have to figure out how to unload her from the ship without injuring her.” 

*******

Seta Knox was a beautiful planet, the very atmosphere charged with minerals that instantly refreshed and revived the body. Despite herself, the Valeyard suddenly felt the decades of anxiety lift off her shoulders and soar up into the air and away when she stepped out of the TARDIS. She knew she needed to be aware, that she was about to put her beloved ship into the hands of total strangers, but it was difficult on a planet so friendly and disarming.

They were on a panoramic platform on the 100th floor of a huge elegant building. Beneath them, the floor was made of glass, giving the visitors an unhampered view of miles and miles of forestland, gardens, fountains and architectural marvels. Above them medical pods of all shapes and sizes circulated the planet, picking up patients, transporting them elsewhere. Some trundled along peacefully, others darted through the sky, sirens ablaze. They were like beads ornamentally strung and then imbued with life

A pair of large double doors slid open and a party of ten exited, their leader a small Knoxian male with red skin and large insect-like eyes.

“Welcome to the medical order of Seta Knox. My name is Professor Shoon, I am president of this hospital. It is our deepest honour to offer both our services and hospitality to the last TARDIS in the universe. I have with me representatives from five further medical organisations, the emperor of our star system who would like to welcome you to the planet personally, two representatives from the Alpha Centauri Dimensional Engineering Corps and our most skilled surgeon, Doctor Sun.” 

Dressed in clean, light blue medical robes, Doctor Sun was a Mondasian refugee who had fled the great conversion, setting up her own surgery on a backwater planet. Her story was famous across the entire galaxy: how her skill and expertise had soon begun to catch attention, until she had enough customers to set up her own laboratory from scratch, how she’d soon caught the attention of the Sisters of Plenitude and been apprenticed to Matron Neod herself. (This had of course been before the Sisters had become so corrupted.) She had then dedicated her entire life to travelling the galaxy, helping out those who needed it most, before finally settling down on Seta Knox to find an apprentice and pass on her learning.

“Allow us to show you our facilities.” Prof Shoon beckoned toward the double doors. The Valeyard hung back.

“I’d rather stay with our TARDIS,” she whispered to the Doctor, who nodded.

“Trust nobody”.

Prof Shoon’s voice was already receding out of earshot: “We have ten cafeterias on this floor alone, seven relaxation spas and a brief little museum installation on the history of this building. As VIP guests…..” 

The Valeyard sat down on the pristine glass floor, leaning against the TARDIS. Well, the Doctor’s version of the TARDIS. She felt so different, so lively and so healthy. The Valeyard didn’t know how old exactly this Doctor was, nor how much time she had left before the future caught up with her. One day she would wake up to find her TARDIS hadn’t been eating (that is, absorbing dark matter from the cosmos and converting them into the antimatter particles that were her source of energy). The next symptom would be short spasms of pain that would last about a decade. Then the TARDIS’ health would suddenly and unexpectedly shoot up and everything would seem like it went back to normal. Except that the ship would never fully recover. For a century after she would rotate between bad spells and good, slowly making her descent down the staircase of death, whilst the Doctor, becoming more and more desperate, would start first pillaging, then burning the universe looking for a cure. Until it became no longer about finding a cure, but about torturing and punishing the universe for subjecting herself and her ship to this pain. All the while she and her TARDIS built an oasis of love for themselves, determined to make the most out of their time still left. Until, trapped inside this miserable state, her past self would find her.

She put a hand onto the blue wood of the police box. _Bluest blue, bringing hope and salvation wherever she goes…...even to me._ Perhaps the universe isn’t such cold and harsh a place after all.

  
  


********

Jack was feeling highly cynical. So far, he was not impressed with what he’d seen of the medical order of Seta Knox. Oh yeah, there was no doubt that they had many connections in high places, but they had almost completely ignored the Doctor when she’d tried to present them her findings on the TARDIS’ illness so far, had rudely dismissed his anxieties about the upcoming regeneration energy donation and had refused to explain what exactly they intended to do with the TARDIS. _Medical secrets_ had been their only explanation.

Now the duo was sitting in one of the cafeterias, enjoying a free VIP meal and complementary drink. Beside him, the Doctor was fuming. Whilst he didn’t blame her, he would have to calm her down for the TARDIS’ sake. With his chair he scooted over so that he was sitting beside the Doctor rather than opposite, and gave her hand a comforting squeeze.

“Listen Doctor, I know that neither of us particularly trusts these people, but they’re the best chance we’ve got. I know they behaved rudely, but this is a rich hospital, accustomed to rich clients. I think that this kind of circumspect behavior is just what’s expected from the upper class, and that they didn't mean any harm by it.”

The Doctor turned to look at him, trying to formulate a question but it took a couple of tries. Tears were starting to form at the rims of her eyes. When she finally managed to compose herself enough to speak, her voice was cracked. “What if we fail? I’ll have shown my TARDIS exactly where, when and how she’ll die…” at this she descended into messy sobs.

“We won’t fail. Look at me Doctor, we won’t fail I promise. You’re one of the world’s greatest geniuses and now there’s two of you. Death doesn’t stand a chance against you both.” The Doctor sniffled and nodded. “Come here.” And Jack pulled her in a tight embrace.

“We should go get some rest, the Valeyard is looking after the TARDIS, she’ll be fine”

******

In the evening, Doctor Sun came to pay them a visit in their sleeping quarters (the most luxurious suite in the entire building, Prof Shoon had assured them). This was of no great surprise: a consultation the evening before the treatment began was standard procedure. However, Sun seemed agitated. Without preamble she entered the room and sat down on one of the light blue, painfully clean sofas, poured herself a glass from the decanter standing on the little centre table (a gift from the Alpha Centauri Dimensional Engineering Corps) and took a shaky little sip from it. Jack sat down beside her, concerned, and the Doctor remained beside the doorway, arms crossed.

“You need to leave now,” Doctor Sun explained, “there’s no time to lose. Has someone been watching your ship?”

The Doctor sent a little telepathic tendril to the Valeyard who replied with a quick nod. She’d been sleeping curled up protectively in front of the TARDIS still on the panoramic platform. _Get inside the TARDIS and start her up, something’s not right, we’re leaving._ Then the Doctor turned her attention back to the scene in front of her.

“Yes, why?” she guardedly answered Doctor Sun’s question, who relaxed, but only a little.

“Then you need to go now, there’s no time to explain.”

“Are you coming with us?”

“I can’t, your sudden departure is going to create enough of a mess already, I can’t leave”

The Doctor moved away from the doorway and around to face the fidgeting surgeon. “Sun, I’m going to need all the medical help I can get. Please come”

She was answered only by a frightened shake of the head.

“Alright, if you don’t come willingly, I’m going to have to ask my companion here to put a gun to your back and march you out by force.”

“Doctor-” Jack attempted to protest, but was instantly silenced by a glare.

“Do I make myself clear?”

Doctor Sun swallowed and nodded, getting up silently and lifting her hands in surrender. At a gesture from the Doctor she left the room first, followed by her two captors. Jack attempted to catch his companion’s eyes, but she was studiously avoiding his gaze.

  
  


******

The three fugitives were met by nobody and had gone unchallenged when they finally reached the TARDIS. Sighing with relief, the Doctor leaned against the double doors once they were all inside. At the console panel, a very confused Valeyard came to greet them.

“What happened?”

The Doctor turned a questioning glance toward Doctor Sun, who had sat down, exhausted.

“The dimensional engineering corps were going to steal parts from your TARDIS behind your backs and split the profits with Prof Shoon and the medical order.”

The Valeyard cussed loudly before disappearing off into the TARDIS interior.


	12. Apologies

“Doctor, we need to talk.” 

The Doctor was standing in the gallery around the console room watching the Valeyard who was moving around down below. At the sound of Jack’s voice she turned to face him.

“Last night….. You frightened me. I’ve never seen you so violent.”

“Whatever it takes.” The Doctor repeated the mantra that had become her backbone over the last few weeks.

“Yeah, you’ve been saying that a lot recently.” Before she had time to reply, Jack pointed down at the Valeyard. “That’s your future right there. If you’re not careful, that’s what you will become. And you want to avoid that at all costs. So right now, you can’t afford the luxury of going against your own morals, or threatening people with guns. You need to stay the Doctor and you cannot deviate from that in any way, even if the entire space time continuum is pushing against you. Be the Doctor. Prove the universe wrong.”

There was a brief little pause.

“You taught me yourself,” Jack continued, “never cruel, nor cowardly. Promise me you’ll keep to that now.”

The Doctor smiled a weak little smile. “Yes, I think I can do that.”

“Then go and apologise to Doctor Sun”

  
  


*******

Doctor Sun was in the medical bay and was just disconnecting herself from the telepathic transode (a device that aids communication between non time lord species and TARDISes).

“Hello,” The Doctor ventured

She did not react, pretending to be busy.

“Hi, I’ve come to apologise for my behaviour last night.”

Sun stopped what she was doing but still did not meet the Doctor’s gaze. “It’s alright,” she mumbled.

“Last night, I forgot myself. I’m so sorry,” The Doctor continued, “If you like, I can bring you back. I have a time machine, nobody will realise you’ve even been gone.”

“Nah,” Sun shook her head and then finally looked up at the Doctor’s face. “I’ve been thinking: If I go back there, I won’t be able to keep my mouth shut about what they were going to do. It’ll cause a scandal, followed by an outcry from the press. After that my medical career will be ruined. So I might as well stay here.”

“How did you actually find out about what they were gonna do?”

“Do you think a medical order could plan such a massive enterprise without the head surgeon getting wind of it? Prof Shoon told me what he was planning, and offered me a one hundred billion galactic dollar bribe to keep silent.” She hesitated, “He also had some documents on him, lord knows where he got them from. Documents where it would be of my best interest if they did not come to light.”

“Doctor Sun, I promise you that your medical career is not over. As soon as this is done, I will find you a career in the best medical establishment I can find, and I’ll make sure those sensitive documents are removed from Prof Shoon’s care.”

Sun smiled. “You’re a Doctor too, aren’t you. Of what?”

“Everything”

“You’re kidding.”

“I promise you I am not.”

Sun moved over to the 10th dimension mobius regulator and began to type in some numbers. “Could you please help me by connecting that cable there to that port over there?”

The Doctor did as she was told and for a moment the two women worked together in silence, before Sun chuckled. “Look at us both. The last of the Timelords and the last of the Mondasians. What a pair are we?”

“Indeed,” the Doctor allowed herself a brief smile of ironic merriment, then got back to work.

  
  
  
  
  



	13. The Shipyard of Gallos

A little room had been made inside the Doctor’s version of the TARDIS. Located on floor(√-1), it was as close to the centre of the hip as one could safely get, to make sure that absolutely nobody apart from the TARDIS herself could be privy to the conversations going on in there. At the centre of the room was a little round table, usually with mugs of tea or hot chocolate resting on it, as well as the odd book or scrap of paper from the TARDIS library. Around it there were three sofas. Apart from a hexagonal motif, the walls were bare.

This was where Doctor Sun held her consultations, presenting her findings and proposing new courses of action. Today, Jack, the Valeyard, the Doctor and Sun were going to sit down in it together and propose a diagnosis for the TARDIS’ ailments.

“The worst symptom is the bloating on the areography floor. It’s causing her a lot of pain which is one of the things that’s stopping her from eating properly,” The Doctor was saying, “I think the zeta valve is swollen and so she can’t expel the gases properly. I’ve put some oil into the pipes down there to help smoothen things up and I’ve cleaned the valve but it’s still only opening with difficulty. I’ve also given her painkillers but I can’t risk giving her too much or the dimensional regulator will break.”

“I’m also noticing some convulsions in the catacombs on floor 17. Some of the junctions are undergoing quantum shifts and I don’t think the TARDIS is fully in control of them. I’ve looked them up in the databank but they don’t seem correlated with the pain spasms,” Sun added.

“Has anybody checked the eye of harmony and the untempered schism?” Jack asked.

“First thing I looked at when I came aboard. No external damage as far as I can see. The eye of harmony is unusually large but I think that might just be a harmless genetic mutation”

“It is,” the Valeyard confirmed Sun’s words.

“Most of the damage seems to be affecting her digestive system,” the Doctor stated, “but she also hasn’t cleaned the aether for a worrying amount of time.” At Jack’s confused look, she explained, “It’s like the TARDIS’ kidney. The aether passes through her veins, picking up any toxins or waste on the way. Every now and then she cleanses it and expels her waste.”

“Any idea why that might not be working?”

“The aether is cleaned by little microbes,” the Valeyard suggested, “perhaps something is killing or disabling them. If that’s the case we need to replenish them as soon as possible, as well as the flora and fauna in her digestive system.”

“Any idea what might have caused this?”

“Viral infection. The TARDIS’ immune system seems to have combated the infection, now we’re dealing with the consequences.”

“So,” the Valeyard asked, “any ideas how to replenish all these organisms and microorganisms?”

“I’ve actually had an idea about that,” Doctor Sun rooted around in her pockets and brought out a note which she layed on the table. On it was a phone number. “Some of the shipyards near the Constellation of Kasterborous survived the time war. It’s been many centuries since they’ve last had time lord clients and most of the TARDIS specialists are dead, however I’ve found a man in The Shipyard of Gallos who says he could help. He tells me he’s old and that there’s only so and so much he can do, but he’s willing to give you any advice he can.”

  
  


********

Like Venice, Gallos was a planet famous for using waterways instead of roads. The largest of these waterways was ten miles broad and was called the river Quine. Across it, several bridges were stretched, like belts or staples stopping it from expanding any further. Stacked on top of them were warehouses, market stalls, brothels, factories, tourist attractions and shopping centres: One such bridge could easily support the population of a city. And here The Shipyard of Gallos could be found. 

The four time travellers were currently balancing across a scaffolding of large wooden planks, that led from one side of the shipyard to the other. They were about the breadth of a narrow pavement and beneath them, the next solid floor was about three metres away. The Valeyard had gone ahead whilst Jack and the Doctor helped Sun, who’s sense of balance was not that good, across. 

Wistfully the Doctor was reminded of Ryan and his dyspraxia. She wondered what he was doing right now. Perhaps he’d finally learned how to ride that bike.

Once across, they reached the living quarters of the shipyard workers and their families. The old man lived on the third floor, apparently. It was, like the rest of the structure, a ragged building, made up of rotting wooden planks and serrated metal plates. The door had partially broken off its hinges, leaving them free to just walk in.

At the entrance of the specified living apartment, a little boy opened the door and indicated toward an old man sitting by a crudely boarded window. Jack could detect at least three other faces in the shadows of the room.

Her companions remained near the doorway as the Doctor moved round to the window to get a better look at the old man. His skin, which would once have borne a brilliant pattern of black and yellow stripes was now faded and blotched and the poison sacks that had once swelled at his temples were now limp and saggy. But the Doctor recognised him nonetheless.

“XEMBROSE,” she exclaimed in both surprise and delight, “fancy meeting you here.” Then to the trio at the doorway, “come on in, this is an old friend of mine.”

*******

“Xembrose is half time lord, half alithusian,” the Doctor was explaining. Their host had found a set of rickety chairs and now they sat in a small circle near the window, the only source of light. “As such, he was not allowed into The Academy, but he snuck in anyway to steal food from time to time and he always brought us interesting things from the slums like dead rats and nice bits of string so we loved it when he came.”

“You’re Theta, aren’t you?” Xembrose guessed, “Theta who always bragged about how he was going to steal a TARDIS and fly away. Of course if anybody was going to survive the time war it was you. You and that little accomplice of yours, what was his name again?”

The Doctor shook her head. “Nah, it’s just me now.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. He was a nice boy.”

There was an awkward pause.

“Anyway, let’s get to the matter at hand. What model is your TARDIS?”

“Type 40 TT capsule. Eye of harmony and untempered schism seem to be undamaged, worst affected seem to be the digestive system and the aether cleansing system. We think the problem lies with the organisms involved in each system. Speculation lies with a viral infection that either killed or damaged said organisms,” Sun read these off a little clipboard like a detective inspector reporting a crime scene to a superior. “Symptoms include spasms of pain, particularly on a positronic level, quantum displacements, reluctance to eat, weight loss and lethargy.”

“Are you sure it was a virus?” Xembrose asked, “If I remember correctly Type 40s are particularly resistant to infection.”

“We think a temporal parasite might have carried them in,” the Valeyard explained, “The TARDIS must have dealt with the parasite pretty quickly but by the time she managed to eliminate the viruses they’d already done the damage.”

“I do believe that there are at least seven strains of virus that could cause such symptoms,” the half alithusian pondered out loud, “but it could also have been poison. Are you aware of any poison your ship might have been exposed to before she got ill?”

The Valeyard shook her head.

“Could have been an alien attack, a deliberate attempt to murder the Doctor’s TARDIS,” Jack pondered aloud. “Or it could have been an accident, just a case of the TARDIS being at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“Have you tried consulting for any medical help apart from mine?” Xembrose queried.

“Yeah, we’ve tried hospitals, from the most expensive high class establishments to back alley surgeries. We’ve tried faith healers, we’ve tried mechanics and we’ve tried scholars and librarians. So far they’ve either said no or turned out to be incompetent and/or swindlers. Until now Doctor Sun has been the only reliable source of help we could find.”

“Perhaps you are going to need the help of another time lord after all. Not a half time lord like me but one who actually studied at The Academy.”

“I’ve already told you, I’m the only one.”

“And I can always tell when you’re lying, Theta. Mr Harkness, Doctor Sun, would you mind waiting outside for a little.”

********

When the Doctor and the Valeyard exited the room, Jack could instantly tell it was bad news. The Doctor’s face was ashen and the Valeyard did not even acknowledge the rest of the group, just marched straight on back to the TARDIS. Jack knew her pace all too well: It was the walking place of a person who wanted to cry and who wanted to be alone when they did so.

“What did he say?” Sun asked the Doctor.

“That I should find the Master and ask him for help.”

“What else?” Jack asked.

“That there’s a little pocket universe where the flora and fauna of the TARDIS digestive system can be found. The time lords created it exactly for ailments such as these. But he doesn’t know the exact coordinates and he doesn’t know how to restore the aether microbes. If we can’t find those as well then all is lost, whatever we do.”

“And what else?”

“Nothing.”

“Doctor-”

“Nothing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I promise, we'll get back round to the plot pretty soon. See this as a sort of interlude where we see all the things the Doctor and the Valeyard do in order to save their TARDIS. I have also written the last chapter now and I'm sort of working backwards from there.)


	14. The Master

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ......enter bastard

The Master’s genius really knew no bounds

Hacking into the Papal Mainframe had been easy. Squealing with delight, he clenched his fists in triumph. Inside him, the cyberium pulsed and roiled in anticipation, burning through his veins and piercing into every cell and fibre, like pins and needles but ten times more painful. He had never felt more alive.

Gloatingly he turned to the sole member of his audience, the Mother Superious herself. Of course, she did not react. In her left ear a little red light beeped on and off, indicating that the ear pods were working properly. Nevertheless, the Master could never resist mucking around a little. Goadingly, he sauntered up to her and waved a hand in front of her face.

“Hello?” he asked sarcastically, “anybody there?”

Then, sticking his face as close to hers as possible, he raised a hand and gave her a little tap. Still no reaction. The Master grinned and was about to do something even more irritating (he very much hoped that the Mother Superious was still conscious in there somewhere), when the cyberium gave him a sharp, impatient jab. Another presence was in the room.

“Hello Koschei.”

The Master spun round angrily, to come face to face with the Doctor. She was thin and worn looking, like a transparent paper cutout of her former self. 

“You look terrible,” was her only comment.  _ (she could talk) _

The Master looked down at his hands, where the cyberium was starting to pierce his skin, oozing out of his pores and covering his hands in a smooth sheen of silver. He bet his face looked no better. He gave a flippant shrug, pretending not to care, and was about to advance upon his nemesis when a pair of heavy hands fell down onto his shoulders.

“Aaaand that’s far enough,” came the voice of the Doctor’s infernal pet abomination, Captain Jack Harkness.

The Master raised his hands in a mildly sardonic placating gesture (without letting the insane and unhinged twinkle go out of his eyes completely), as the Doctor took another step forward. Good heavens, she looked even worse than he had previously imagined. Suddenly understanding dawned on his face and he wagged a finger at her, proud that he’d figured it out.

“You want something from me, don’t you? That’s why you addressed me by my real name, you’re trying to go all soft and soppy with me.” Cheaply imitating her voice he added, “ _ Oh Koschei, remember back in The Academy when we used to be bestest friends and we would run through the red fields together and you declared your undying love for me _ , bla bla bla, nostalgia and sentimentality.” For a split second the Doctor looked uncomfortable. Clearly this was not information that she had wanted disclosed in front of her freakish time agent boyfriend. Triumphantly he spat “Well, gallifrey is gone now, I made sure of that”

Of course, he had meant to hurt his nemesis, antagonise her, make her lose her temper. But she only smiled a sad little smile. “Proud of that, are you? Poor little Koschei, who burnt down an entire planet because he learned that he was nothing special. Well, that may have hurt me once, but I’ve encountered far worse since we last met. Compared to the things I’ve seen you are just a child throwing a tantrum at the universe. You always have been. Well I’m not a child anymore, and I’m done playing with you now so grow up.”

The Master pulled a face, attempting to laugh away her words. The Doctor remained unamused. Eventually he gave in. “What do you want?”

“How much do you know about TARDIS maintenance and healthcare?”

  
  
  


**********

  
  
  


“So I’m guessing I’m a final resort,” the Master was saying. At a word from the Doctor, her cheesy immortal freak had relinquished his prisoner and retired to the TARDIS, giving the Doctor and the Master some time to talk in private. In return, he’d forced the cyberium to back down and it had removed its presence from his skin. They were now sitting side by side on the metal scaffolding that surrounded the Papal Mainframe, legs dangling into the empty vastness of space. 

“I liked you better when you were burning down church planets,” he remarked.

“What?” The Doctor scrunched her face in genuine confusion. Then “-Oooh….That…..wasn’t me.”

“Shame.”

There was a long pause.

“So, what are you doing here?” The Doctor finally asked.

“I’m here for immortality. No matter how far you travel, how distant or remote the civilisations, every religion has some concept of resurrection. I want to get to the root of that.”

“Why?”

The Master turned, sticking his face into the Doctor’s to glare into her eyes. “Because you’re the timeless child. You can’t die. One day, I’ll be all bone and ashes, and you will stand over my corpse. And that can’t happen. I won’t let you outlive me, Doctor.”

  
  


“Why? Do you even need to turn living into a competition?”

“Yes.”

A moment ago, the Master had seemed to have found some semblance of calm. Now his eyes were beginning to glow with insanity again.

“I’m not going to help you, Doctor.”

“Please-”

The Master shook his head, then got up and brushed some imaginary dust off the front of his coat. “After all, what’s in it for me?” 

“I could help you get rid of the cyberium.”

“Why on earth would I want you to do that?”

“Master, it’s killing you.”

“I don’t care.” He pulled a face, pretending to think very hard. Then he made a gesture as if he’d just remembered something. “Oh, by the way, look behind you.”

The Doctor turned, and found herself face to face with a member of the Silence. Something metallic was sitting on its temple, eating into its flesh.  _ Cybermite _ , she suddenly realised.

She spun back round to the Master, who had just finished strapping a vortex manipulator to his wrist. Noticing that her eyes were back on him, he grinned, waved and then disappeared. 

The Doctor took one last look at the Silence, then turned her tail and ran.

  
  
  


***********

The Valeyard was curled up in fetal position in front of her sick ship, the lights of the medical bay glaring down on her, picking out every cut and scar she’d ever gained from her life of pillaging and burning. Now she was nothing more than a vicious warlord tamed and laid to rest. Her white robes formed a pool around her body, almost like a sentient creature that couldn’t decide whether to swallow her or not.

For a moment, Sun would have turned around and left again, harbinger of bad news that she was within this oasis of peace. But the ill ship had already roused its beloved raggedy man. 

Deciding to get this over and done with, Sun grabbed a nearby plastic chair and gestured for the Valeyard to do the same. Not quite sure how to broach the topic, she first of all tried to get an idea of how much the Valeyard already knew.

“What did Xembrose tell you, back on the shipyard of Gallos when he asked me and Jack to leave?”

Her interlocutor tensed, they were on delicate ground here. In truth, only the Doctor had the right to ask such intimate questions. But the Doctor wasn’t here and, feeble an imitation that she was, Sun would have to do. They both made that realisation simultaneously, and for only a split second, there was something resembling a bridge between them. “He just wanted to tell us that Type40s are notoriously sturdy and seldom get ill, but that when they do, it’s very difficult to find us a cure. He warned us that this illness was most likely a death sentence, but the Doctor wouldn’t hear anything of it.”

Now it was Sun’s turn to take the final plunge. “There’s something I need to tell you.”


	15. Get out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Doctor finally snaps

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear people who are reading this in real time, hi. I'm back. I've been without a computer for a prolonged period of time.
> 
> I've made some edits to the Master chapter and deleted a chapter since I was gonna add this whole sub plot between the Master and Sun, but then I decided that it interrupted the storyline too much so I've gotten rid of it. We're heading for the end now, there should only be two or three chapters still left.

The Doctor didn’t want to get out of bed. Out of bed was the ill TARDIS. Out of bed was her grief struck future self. Out of bed were the chores and hardships of the day.

Eventually someone would come to fetch her, usually Doctor Sun, and lure her out with the promise of breakfast (not that food had had much savour recently). After that the tasks of the day would begin. Usually, once she had started them, they didn’t seem so big and difficult as they had when she was still brooding in bed. Having slid into the routine, the day would pass rhythmically and smoothly. There was no space for optimism or pessimism, no point in worrying or trying to predict what tomorrow would bring. Today was all that mattered.

Except that this morning, nobody came to fetch her. The Doctor was left to rouse herself out of her musings and make her own way down to the console room. It was empty. The cloister bell was tolling. For a second the sound took the Doctor back to a year ago, standing inside the ill future version of her ship, apprehensively reaching out toward the console. Then the adrenalin kicked in, and the Doctor started to run.

She was making for the medical bay. Along the corridors she ran, every double door banging loudly shut behind her. Every noise seemed to echo, goadingly following the sound of her feet hitting the ground. Around it, the lonely silence offered a harsh contrast to the hub of activity that her ship had been for so long

The Doctor was used to running; she’d ran all her life. But now, her legs carried her at a speed as they never had before. She was not running anymore, she was flying. Fueled by her terror, she shot down the narrow passageways, faster and faster and faster. Then her feet connected with something and suddenly she was lying flat on her face.

Her flight had been arrested by a pair of legs sticking out from behind an archway. The Doctor grabbed hold of them, dragging an unconscious time agent into view. She briefly debated whether or not to stay with him till he’d revived himself, but then decided that her ship was more important. With that she broke back into her sprint.

  
  


**********

The Valeyard was gone. As was her version of the TARDIS. The Doctor and Jack later found Sun in the lab, unaware of what had happened and shaking off the last traces of hypnosis by the looks of it. Now the trio were in the console room, discussing their next steps.

“So, any idea where the Valeyard might be?”

“One,” The Doctor was making a very good show of working at the console, not making contact with anybody’s eyes. _Very bad_ , Jack thought to himself. There was a tenseness growing in the room, specifically between the Doctor and Sun. 

Finally the time lord snapped and spun round to the surgeon, tears in her eyes. “What did you tell her?” Whilst she kept it level, the Doctor’s voice thrummed with suppressed rage.

Whatever the accusation was, Sun understood it and recoiled, failing to utter a word.

Then the Doctor relaxed again. “Get out,” She pointed toward the door. Sun attempted to stammer something about the ship still being in flight.

“ **_GET OUT,_ ** ” The Doctor repeated, _“_ **_GET OUT OF MY SIGHT_ ** _.”_

At this point the mondasian was almost cowering with fear. Jack finally regained control of his muscles again, and attempted to step forward to make a placating gesture. However he only succeeded in redirecting his friend’s anger toward himself.

“ **_GET OUT_ ** ,” She screamed, “ **_BOTH OF YOU_ **”

  
  


***************

  
  


An hour passed. Jack and Sun were sitting in the consultation room on floor (-1) when the Doctor finally slunk in. She was a sobby mess and her breath still came unevenly. The seizure of anger had passed, but nevertheless the two women avoided each other’s gazes. “What did you tell her?” the timelord repeated in a calmer, albeit snotty and unsteady voice.

“That the TARDIS was terminal.”

“How long have you known?”

“About half a year now.”

The Doctor nodded. “Me too.” Letting out a sigh of despair she came over to the sofa and plummeted down onto it. “I’ve set the coordinates to Earth. That’s where she’ll be.”

********

_London's burning London’s burning, fetch the engines fetch the engines, fire fire, fire fire, pour on water pour on water, London’s burning London’s burning._

The Doctor had left her companions behind inside the TARDIS. This was a matter between herself and her future self only. Now she surveilled the Valeyard’s work as the stupid song went round and round in her head. _London’s burning, London’s burning…._

The Thames had evaporated, leaving a huge cleft running through the ruined city. Big Ben had been reduced to rubble, a broken clockface eying the newcomer suspiciously from above the flames. The place stank of burning flesh and fear, but there was not a single soul in sight, buried in a grave of ash. Yet the noise was almost unbearable. Buildings collapsed, metal structures creaked and bent, flames cracked and whispered their violent songs. It was supposed to be night, but the sky was bright red.

The Doctor wiped the sweat off her brow, her coat having been discarded a long time ago. The heat had caused her lips to become dry and chapped, and both her eyeballs and lungs stung. Not quite knowing where to begin, she began the long long trek down the side of the former Thames.


	16. Foreman's Yard

Finally the Doctor found the Valeyard. Foreman’s Yard was, like the rest of London, aflame. The world smelled of burned rubber.

Her feet ached and her timelord lungs had been tried to their limit. She could feel odd sparks of regeneration energy being triggered by her exhaustion. Orientating herself more by touch than by sight, the Doctor reached out for the white hot metal gate. It instantly fell from its hinges, disintegrating at her feet and adding further injury to her hands which were already a throbbing red mess. Pressing them against her sides, the Doctor limped forward.

Through the smoke and haze, two white shapes became visible at the centre of the scrapyard. The Valeyard sat cross legged in the dirt, hunched over her knees and sobbing. Behind her, her TARDIS was dead.


	18. Goodbyes

The Doctor had lit candles in the medical bay. They burned away the last traces of the smell of dying TARDIS. The dead body of the ship had been covered in a red velvet burial sheet, now drawn back so that the Doctor could look upon it one last time. She held her death watch solemnly, thinking of nothing in particular, gaze alternating between the body and the flickering candlelight.

She was already wearing the black gallifreyan robes of mourning. The cloth was clean, pristine and stiff, like an insect shell. More of a sculpture than a garment. But it was warm and almost comforting, reassuring in its promise to be there for her throughout the funeral. But the Doctor was not ready yet. She could not say goodbye to her ship, not yet. Instead she sat in her silent vigilance, reluctant to leave her beloved TARSDIS’ side.

After 24 hours had passed, she roused herself. It was time to tie the last few loose ends before the funeral.

  
  


**********

“Sun, I owe you so many apologies.”

Doctor Sun nodded, then hesitated as if to say something, before letting out an amused little huff. “I should have taken you up on that offer to just drop me off back at a surgery again."

"Thing is, nobody ever said this would be easy. And I was a fool to be surprised when it turned out to be difficult…….and you… started expressing that difficulty by snapping at me…...do you see what I mean?”

“No. You weren’t the fool. I was. I was responsible for you and Jack and I behaved appallingly.”

Sun made no reply.

“I confiscated those pieces of paper from Professor Shoon’s care. You are free to go wherever.”

“Actually……” Sun stopped for a moment, considering……. “May I use your print room? It’s time I made some alterations to my passport and birth certificate. There’s a truth I need to face, so that people like Shoon can never blackmail me again.”

“Oh?”

“I am not Monasian. No Mondasian ever survived the great purge. I was from Ostrageno, a backstreet surgeon having failed medical school. I performed illegal abortions, dabbled in…. _ experimental chemistry _ . Anyway, eventually the police began to clamp down on me so I fled to Mondas and there continued doing whatever I did. By that time I was a useless junky who could barely hold a scalpel, let alone use it. Then the conversions started. The government was looking for people like me: People with less orthodox medical experience who would not question too much what they did so long as they were paid for it. At first it was just small things…..replacing broken heart valves, repairing broken limbs…….we saved a lot of lives. But then it just started getting more and more extreme until one day I found myself assisting in holding down a child whilst we tore her brain from her body and shoved it into a metal casing.’

‘Through the conversion I learned the extent people would go to in the name of science. We told ourselves what we were doing was right. Every day we attempted to justify ourselves but we were wrong. When I left Mondas drenched in blood I vowed never to be wrong again. I repeated my medical education, set up my own practice and became the groundbreaking surgeon I am today. At the price of thousands of dead on Mondas.”

The Doctor sighed. There was no response that could be made to these statements. Eventually Sun excused herself and went off to the print room.

  
  


********

“So, it’s back to Tokyo with you, is it?”

“Yep, I’ve got a mission there I still need to finish.”

“Yeah, about that….” The Doctor produced a little plastic bag. There were no brands on it, but the contents were clearly made of fabric. When Jack opened it, he was greeted by a tux and a black bowtie.

“ - You’re kidding me, right?”

“You said it yourself, the Bond life…” 

Jack was grinning from ear to ear. For a moment the Doctor was grinning too, then they both sobered up. 

“So, I guess this is goodbye now. You’ll be ok, won’t you?”

“Yes, I guess so.”

“Write to me. After the funeral. You know I’ll always be there for you Doctor, always.”

The Doctor gave him a little sad smile and a nod.

“Come here Doctor.” For fear of crumpling the Doctor’s robes of mourning, Jack instead settled for clamping his arms around the back of the her head and pressing her face into his chest. “Come here”

************

  
  


The Valeyard slowly resurfaced into wakefulness, exhausted from her last rampage. She was strapped to a bed in the medical bay. The Doctor was standing over her.

“Get up. It’s time.”


End file.
